Irvin Jefferson Patrick

Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife — Columbus, OH

Felonious

End of Watch November 15, 1955

Age 43

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 91 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Wildlife Officer Irvin Patrick was shot and killed in Fayette County while he and his partner attempted to arrest a man for possessing two hen pheasants. While they were speaking with the man, his hunting partner leveled his shotgun at the officers and demanded they not make the arrest. Officer Patrick stepped out of his vehicle and a struggle ensued during which the shotgun was discharged. Officer Patrick was fatally wounded by the blast and died while being taken to Memorial Hospital. The 63-year-old wealthy farmer and former Adams County Sheriff turned himself in to the sheriff a short time later. The man the officers were originally going to arrest was also taken into custody. The suspect was found guilty of first degree manslaughter and sentenced to one to 20 years. He was paroled on October 5, 1961. While in prison, his 300 acre farm was sold to satisfy a $80,000 judgement awarded to Officer Patrick's wife. Officer Patrick had served with the agency for 14 years and had previously served for six years as an officer with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Colorado.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three children, and eight siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-6251FAB1
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Wildlife Officer Patrick gave the Ohio Department of Natural Resources 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Columbus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Wildlife Officer Patrick.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife

Location Columbus, OH

Platform Identity odnrdwcons.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 15, 1955

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Paroled in 1961

Wildlife Officer Irvin Jefferson Patrick is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife, 4 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 44.4% of this agency's fallen.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife

of 9 officers

44.4% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious